Based on its universal appeal and everyday use, tea has inspired the creation of exquisite objets d’art; above all, the spouted, steaming engine of hospitality: the teapot. In fact, the teapot has drawn widespread attention from the world’s leading designers and artists for centuries because it is what French sculptor Arman calls one of the key objects of our time. This delightful book celebrates the chameleon-like form of the teapot, and how it is considered not only an icon for hospitality but also an inventive vehicle for artistic expression. The Artful Teapot features, in full, lavish color, more than 200 enchanting teapots representing its 500-year history of enjoyment and use. Readers will find captivating examples from Yixing—the birthplace of the teapot—as well as such famous producers as Meissen, Minton, Wedgwood, and others. Here are artful teapots that balance form, surface, and function in search of beauty . . . revolutionary teapots seeking—fascinatingly but fruitlessly—to improve on this most perfect invention . . . teapots inspired by natural forms . . . teapots made from surprising materials like dollar bills, glass beads, and soda cans . . . teapots used as a format for politics or propaganda . . . teapots using animals or people as their subject . . . and last but not least, the teapot created purely for art’s sake—pots removed from function, where tea evaporates and imagination replaces the fragrant leaf as content. Plus, fascinating text written by Garth Clark, the preeminent scholar of modern ceramics, provides an appealing discussion of these objets d’art that is as provocative, playful, and profound as the teapots themselves. • Teapots featured in this book form the basis for an exhibition that opened in November 2001 at the American Craft Museum in New York City, which is traveling until 2004, visiting six other American museums • First comprehensive guide featuring the artistic beauty of teapots through five centuries of use

"When the curtain goes up on The Teapot Opera there is no music. There are no people, either. But there are plenty of characters: there's the teapot, of course, and a white plastic stallion, a china harpist, a skull, an expresso machine, chess pieces, fruit, the Michelin Tire man, fragments of a classical sculpture, ancient books, a souvenir bust of Teddy Roosevelt, valves and gauges of all kinds, a Shriner's fez, a glass eyeball, billiard balls, and so much more."--Jacket flap.

From tea guru Sebastian Beckwith and New York Times bestsellers Caroline Paul and Wendy MacNaughton comes the essential guide to exploring and enjoying the vast world of tea. Tea, the most popular beverage in the world after water, has brought nations to war, defined cultures, bankrupted coffers, and toppled kings. And yet in many ways this fragrantly comforting and storied brew remains elusive, even to its devotees. As down-to-earth yet stylishly refined as the drink itself, A Little Tea Book submerges readers into tea, exploring its varieties, subtleties, and pleasures right down to the process of selecting and brewing the perfect cup. From orange pekoe to pu-erh, tea expert Sebastian Beckwith provides surprising tips, fun facts, and flavorful recipes to launch dabblers and connoisseurs alike on a journey of taste and appreciation. Along with writer and fellow tea-enthusiast Caroline Paul, Beckwith walks us through the cultural and political history of the elixir that has touched every corner of the world. Featuring featuring charming, colorful charts, graphs, and illustrations by bestselling illustrator Wendy MacNaughton and Beckwith's sumptuous photographs, A Little Tea Book is a friendly, handsome, and illuminating primer with a dash of sass and sophistication. Cheers!

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First published in 1985, The Chinese Art of Tea is an exploration into the history of tea and the Chinese art of tea, known as ch’a-shu. The book begins by delving into the history and legends surrounding tea before moving on to a study of the Emperor Hui Tsung’s treatise on tea and approaches to tea during the Ming Dynasty. It discusses tea gardens, teahouses, the relationship between tea and ceramics, and the connection between tea and health. The book also features a detailed manual for practising the art of drinking tea, including advice for choosing tea, buying tea, different types of infusion and drinking vessels, and the attitude required for obtaining the fullest satisfaction from tea. The Chinese Art of Tea is ideal for anyone with an interest in the history and art of drinking tea, and the social and cultural history of China.

Mom is very angry. Her very favorite teapot is broken, and no one is 'fessing up. Was it Dad, sitting in his underwear reading the paper? Was it Cat, who was all tangled up in a ball of yarn? Was it Baby perched in his highchair? Or is there a surprising twist to this mystery that teaches Mom a little lesson in anger management? Bill Slavin takes a sly poke at parents in their less-than-finer moments in this funny and energetic story.

The 500 years of teapot design has come full circle. The metamorphic productions from China in the fifteenth century are now the models of similar designs from the People's Republic. In between there is displayed, in the variety of teapots from all over the world, a richness of imagination, inventiveness and humor which makes Edward Bramah's beautiful and comprehensive collector's guide long overdue. A source book and a true labor of love.